From the Executive Director

MAY/JUNE 2022

VOLuMe 27, nuMBeR 3

STaLLIOn STaKeS

92 Hand it to Hendrixx

John Swales and Hendrixx win big in the 2022 Teton Ridge Stallion Stakes Derby. 100 Swinging for the Fences

Debbie Crafton advanced four horses to the Non Pro Finals, clinching the Champion and Reserve Champion titles

108 Nothing Short of Spectacular

The horse and rider teams topping their respective Spectacular division each had a mission and a goal, and they more than hit the mark.

126 Big Winners in Vegas: Horse Show 136 The First Cut

Eight riders punched a ticket to The Run For A Million Cow Work Challenge.

73

Four were inducted into the nRCHa Hall of Fame, and the Vaquero award was presented, at the 2022 Teton Ridge Stallion Stakes. Coverage begins on page 73.

FeaTuReS

66 Fun in the Sun

Check out six sizzling side trips in Scottsdale, Arizona, during the DT Horses

Western Derby. 70 Towing Safety Tips

From our Corporate partner Lippert, parent company of CURT and Ranch Hand.

73 Meet the 2022 NRCHA Hall of Fame Inductees

CIRCLe uP

22 NRCHA Foundation:

Stories from the Shedrow 26 NRCHA Gains Sponsor 26 Metallic Cat $5 Million

Dollar Sire 32 2023 Celebration of Champions

Qualifying Points 34 Herd Helpers

MeMBeR ROunDuP

36 Know the Pro: Matt Frederick 42 Notable Non Pro:

Jecca Ostrander 48 Admirable Assistants:

Alethea Prewett 64 Faces of the NRCHA:

Tina McCleary

In eVeRy ISSue

4 From the Executive Director 8 NRCHA President’s Letter 14 From the Judge’s Chair 18 From the NRCHYA 140 NRCHA Committee Directory 142 Affiliate List 143 Suspended Member List 144 NRCHA Sanctioned Events

On the cover: Aboard Sarah Davis’ gelding Short N Catt, Phillip Ralls earned the Open Bridle Spectacular title. Coverage begins on page 108. Photo by Primo Morales.

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Growth is the theme of the season, whether we’re talking about the growth that abounds in the spring or the growth we continue to see in our arenas. Once again, we’ve just finished a record-breaking premier event, where John Swales and Hendrixx, owned by Monica Wille, bested the field of nearly 200 horses competing in the Open divisions of the 2022 Teton Ridge Stallion Stakes to bring home the $50,000 prize. Ninety-nine (yes, you read that right) horses entered in the concurrent Open Bridle and Open Bridle Spectacular, with 83 horses entered in The Run For A Million Qualifier. The night ended in a

Dr. Anna Morrison run-off to determine which eight riders earned a spot at the August event. The huge field of bridle horses was truly a testament that we are still maintaining our commitment to the bridle horse as our association grows.

As we know, with growth often come growing pains, and we have all felt them. As our schedules expand to accommodate more entries, open riding hours for warmup get reduced. More people are trying to prepare their horses for success in fewer hours, which puts a lot of pressure on our exhibitors, horses, facility partners, and practice pens. Our shows have longer days, more days, or sometimes both, and stall barns are nearing capacity at every premier event. Yes, growth creates many potential challenges.

But growth also creates new and exciting opportunities. Interest in reined cow horse sport is spilling over from NRCHA into more arenas. New partners are joining us in supporting and expanding the reach of our horses and horsemen. We have new owners and exhibitors joining the NRCHA family. All of this growth helps to keep our sport sustainable, and our purses increasing to better reward our owners and riders. Those impacts of growth are the goal.

Since we’ve just left the wonderful South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, perhaps we’ve still got a bit of gambling on our minds. So, when it comes to the growth over last year for the DT Horses Western Derby in Scottsdale and the Dom Conicelli Memorial Eastern Derby presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN™ in Cordova, will you take the over or the under?

Betting on NRCHA,

Volume 27, Number 3 Official Publication of the National Reined Cow Horse Association Published by Morris Equine Group a division of MCC Magazines, LLC NRCHA

256 North Hwy 377 | Pilot Point, TX 76258 Phone: 940-488-1500 | Fax: 940-488-1499 info@nrcha.com | www.NRCHA.com NRCHA OFFICERS & DIRECTORS:

President: Corey Cushing Vice President: Paul Bailey Secretary: Todd Crawford Treasurer: Trey Neal NRCHA STAFF

Executive Director: Dr. Anna Morrison Accounting Manager: Kasydi Valentine Media & Communications Manager: Callie McCarthy-Boevers Membership & Affiliate Shows Manager: Tina McCleary Premier Event Manager: Emily Konkel Programs Manager: Elizabeth Ellis Entry & Results Assistant: Mikayla Alexander Sponsorship Assistant: Bailey Carter Director of Judges: Bill Enk Official NRCHA Photographer: Primo Morales Official NRCHA Videographer: Equine Promotion REINED COW HORSE NEWS

Vice President: John Lunn Editor: Kate Bradley Byars Managing Editor: Jennifer Denison Production Manager: Sherry Brown Art Director: Susan Sampson Advertising Sales Shawn McCoy, 817-929-8597 shawn.mccoy@morris.com Sales Customer Service Manager: Diana Buettner, 817-569-7114 diana.buettner@morris.com Advertising, Fax 817-737-9633

Reined Cow Horse News (ISSN 23803975) is published six times a year by Cowboy Publishing Group. Known office of publication: 2112 Montgomery Street, Fort Worth, TX 76107. All contents are copyright of the National Reined Cow Horse Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior written permission from the NRCHA. Opinions expressed in articles and advertising in Reined Cow Horse News do not necessarily reflect the positions or opinions of the NRCHA or its officers and members. Accuracy of material is the sole responsibility of the authors. Unsolicited materials are submitted at the sender’s risk and the NRCHA accepts no responsibility for them. Please address all submissions to: Reined Cow Horse News, 256 North Hwy 377, Pilot Point, Texas, 76258. Subscription rate is $25 a year. Periodical postage paid at Pilot Point, Texas, 76258 and additional mailing offices. USPS number, 024-906. Postmaster: Send address changes to Reined Cow Horse News, 256 North Hwy 377, Pilot Point, Texas, 76258.